ANALYZE THE VIEW THAT COLONIAL EDUCATION IN AFRICA BENEFITED THE EUROPEAN COLONIZERS MORE THAN THE AFRICAN

. ANALYZE THE VIEW THAT COLONIAL EDUCATION IN AFRICA BENEFITED THE EUROPEAN COLONIZERS MORE THAN THE AFRICAN
Background to the Study
The European colonialists constructed schools of various levels purposely to educate Africans, secondary schools, junior schools and colleges were set up like the Fourah bay college, Blantyre high school in West Africa, in East Africa was the Alliance School in Kenya, Buddo, Gayaza in Uganda, in central Africa there was also Bantyre School built by the Livingstonia mission.
European colonial agents purportedly aimed at civilizing Africans, make them literate and put them in position to transform then societies. However a clear analysis of the set up, management and execution of this education portrays selfish intentions and thus benefited Europeans more than Africans.
Basis of Argument;
1. The colonialists provided theoretical rather than practical education. It aimed at producing interpreters, clerks, to assist in extending colonial rule.
2. The instructions were made in foreign languages like English, French etc thus intended to undermine African languages and culture and promote western interests.
3. The education created submissive citizens who believed that anything white is good and anything African is bad, these became collaborators like Apollo Kaggwa.
4. The curriculum emphasized agriculture rather than progressive industrial economics.
5. The education undermined African culture and instead promoted western culture thus enslaving Africans.
6. The education promoted divisionism between educated and uneducated. the educated look down upon the uneducated as useless.
7. The curriculum was rooted into things that were non African but European in nature thus the products resorted to undermining their cultural values
8. It undermined African technical skills because it was theoretical.
9. The education promoted Job seekers of white color jobs rather jobs creators thus it undermined innovation.
10. It was segregatively provided in some regions and not in other purposely to promote disunity e.g.in Uganda Buganda benefited than other regions.
11. It promoted income inequality i.e. the educated were paid more compared to the un educated regardless of the contribution to the company. This also brought about hatred and divisionism,
12. Colonial education led to Brain drain where skilled Africans were taken abroad to serve European economics.
13. The colonialists did not put a clear effort to create a progressive economy that would employ the products of their education.
14. The education was meant to make Africans dependant on Europeans i.e. believing in European Aid rather creating self sustaining economies. This was intended to undermine African political independence in future.
15. Curriculums were non defined with no clear ends, i.e. a doctor in the making studying history, lawyer studying chemistry and so on.
16. European colonial officials continued occupying public offices even when the products (Africans) of the education could serve in those positions e.g. district commissioners, principals of schools etc.
17. In most case the costs of education were too high and unaffordable by many Africans.
18. It promoted rural-urban migration and thus open urban unemployment.
However, Africans registered a few benefits
1. Literacy levels were improved although literate in issues not rooted in the social. economical and cultural values of Africans.
2. It inspired nationalism, It were the products of this education that championed the struggle for African independence e.g. Jomo Kenyatta, Julius Nyerere. Nkwame Nkrumah, Kenneth Kaunda etc 3.  School infrastructures have continued to serve various African generations. 4.  It laid basis of African leadership. 5.  Promoted civilization, although biased civilization.  In conclusion therefore, colonial education was purely a tool of colonial exploitation rather than anything else and where Africans benefited, it was more accidental than intentional.